Mail-bag-receiving mechanism.



PATENTED JUNE 20. 1905.

G. R. MOORE.

MAIL BAG RECEIVING MEGHANI$M. APPLmATIo'N FILED APR.4,1904. RENEWED APR.17,1905.

ve'r tur. e07 ye 7P J4 NITED STATES Patented June 20, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE R. MOORE, OF ERIE, "PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO MOORE AUTOMATIC MAIL-OATOI-IER COMPANY, OF ERIE, PENNSYLVANIA A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

MAlL-BAG-RECEIVING MECHANISM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 792,782, dated June 20, 1905. Application filed April 4,1904. Renewed April 17, 1905. Serial No. 255,967.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE R. MOORE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Erie, in the county of Erie and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail-Bag-Receiving Mechanism; and 1 do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and. exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, forming partof this specification.

This invention relates to a mail-bag-receiving mechanism, and has for its object the construction of a convenient receptacle adapted to be placed on the side of a railroad-track, which operates to catch and receive mail-bags delivered thereto from passing mail-cars. I accomplish this result by constructing a box at the side of the railroad-track and provide the side thereof next the railroad-track with a door or plate having hinges on both sides thereof, which may be alternately brought into engagement, so that either edge of this door or plate may be swung outward thereon, and also by providing brace mechanism connected to the inner face of the door, near each side thereof, and to suitable supports inside of the box by means whereof the outward movement of each edge of the door is limited and which brace mechanism operates when a mailbag contacts therewith to close the door or plate against the side of the box.

Another feature of my invention consists in the construction of a crane mechanism on the top of the box for suspending a mail-bag to be takentherefrom by catcher mechanism on a passing car and mechanism cooperating therewith and actuated by the closing of the door or plate against the front of the box, whereby the arm of the crane is automatically dropped out of the way by the closing of the door or plate against the front of the box.

These and other features of my invention are hereinafter fully set forth and described,

and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in whicl Figure 1 shows an end view in elevation of my apparatus and a section of a mail-car passing and delivering a mail-bag into the box and catching another mail-bag on the crane. Fig. 2 is a top or plan view of the same with portion of the top of the car and of the box broken away. Fig. 3 is a front view in elevation of the box and the door or plate thereon. Fig. 4 is a vertical section of the box without the door or plate on the line in m in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is an enlarged top or plan view of the door or plate and of the folding brace mechanism connected therewith.

In the drawings illustrating my invention, A is a railroad-track, B a car, and O a mailbag-catching and a mail-delivering mechanism thereon, substantially of the character shown and described in the United States Letters Patent for mail-bag catching and delivering mechanism, No. 691.285, granted to me on January 14, 1902, and therefore further description thereof is deemed unnecessary.

At the side of the track A, I secure a box D, and in the side thereof next to the track A, I provide a door or plate E, having hingeeyes a c on both edges thereof adapted to be alternately engaged with hinge-hooks cl on the box D. These hinge-hooks d are secured to vertically-movable plates D, (shown in full and dotted lines in Fig. 41,) and can be raised'to bring them into engagement with the hinge-eyes a e or lowered out of engagement therewith by means of lever-and-link mechanism 61 (Z in the inside of the box D. To limit the outward movement of each edge of the door or plate E, I preferably pivot folding braces F F to the inside face thereof, near each edge thereof, and the opposite ends of said braces are pivoted to the inside of the box D, substantially as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 5, so that when either edge of the door or plate E swings outward the braces F operate to hold the door or plate open, as illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, and 5, and when the mailbag strikes one of said folding braces F it operates thereon to fold it together and closes the door of plate E against the front of the box D and at the same time carries the mailbag into the box D. On the back of the box D there is also provided a hinged door Gr, (see Fig. 4,) through which access can be had to the inside of the box to remove the mail-bags therefrom and also to get access to the levers 6Z2 therein.

Upon the top of the rear of the box D, I secure an upright crane-post H, to the top of which I pivot a clamp-sleeve it, in which a crane-arm I is adjustably secured, the outer end of which is provided with a clevis v1, pivoted thereto, from which a spring-clamp mechanism J is suspended for engaging and suspendingamail-bag K therefrom, as illustrated in Fig. 1. To support the crane-arm I in an upright position, I provide a folding brace L, pivoted at its upper end to an adjustable clamp I on the crane-arm I and also pivoted to an adjustable clamp H on the crane-post H, so that the part L on the brace L extends down somewhat behind the top of the box D when the crane-arm I is in an upright position, as illustrated in Fig. 1. Extending through top of the box D, from the front to the rear side thereof, there is a longitudinal bar M, mounted and sliding in guides m, one end of which contacts with the inside of the top of the door or plate E, so that when the door or plate E is closed the bar M is moved longitudinally against the part L of the brace L, so as to -move it back, and thereby cause the brace L to fold upon itself and lower the crane-arm I, and for returning the brace Lto normal position I provide a rod Z, pivoted to the end of the part L of the brace L which can be grasped by the operator and the part L moved downward. This cannot be done while the door or plate E is closed, as the door or plate E must first be swung outward and the bar M .moved forward into contact therewith before the part L of the brace L can be brought into its normal position, as shown in Fig. 1, thus preventing the raising of the crane-arm I when the apparatus is not arranged for use. In operation the door or plate E is opened and swung outward, so as to catch a mail-bag N, suspended from a mail-bag-catching apparatus C on a passing car and the bar M moved forward against it. The mail-bag K to be delivered to the car is then secured to the springclamp mechanism J on the end of the cranearm I and the operator grasps the rod Z and raises the crane-arm I into its normal position and connects the lower end of the mail-bag with the top of the door or plate E by means of a spring-clamp mechanism J, which arrangement of the mechanism is clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and when the car B passes the mail-bag K is caught by the catcher mechanism C on the car and removed from the crane-arm I and mail-bag N is deposited in the box D and the door or plate E closed thereby and the crane-arm I dropped down out of the way. The operator then opens the door G in the rear side of the box D and removes the mail-bag therefrom.

I have shown and described convenient mechanism for utilizing my invention so as to enable others to use the same; but I do not confine myself to the exact mechanism shown plate for closing said opening hinged to the box at one side thereof, and adapted to be swung outward from the side of the box, and mechanism between the door or plate and the box limiting the outward movement of the door or plate and adapted to engage a mailbag brought against it and be operated thereby to close the door or plate against the side of the box, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination in a mail-bag-receiving mechanism, of a box adapted to be secured at the sideof a railroad-track having an opening in the side thereof next said track, a door or plate with hinge mechanism on both edges thereof adapted to be engaged with the box at either side of the said opening therein and adapted to be swung outward in either direction therefrom, and mechanism on said door or plate adapted to limit the outward movement of said door or plate and be engaged by a mail-bag brought into contact therewith and operated thereby to close the door or plate against the side of the box, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination in a mail-bag-receiving mechanism, of a box adapted to be secured at the side of a railroad-track havingan opening in the side thereof next said track, a door or plate for closing said opening, hinge mechanism at each edge of said door or plate adapted to engage the box at either side of said opening therein, folding braces pivoted to the inner face of said door or plate near each side thereof, and to the inside of said box adapted to limit the outward movement of the door or plate when either edge thereof is swung outward, and be engaged by a mail-bag swung against them and be operated thereby to close the door or plate against the side of the box, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination in a mail-bag-receiving mechanism of a box adapted to be secured at the side of a railroad-track having an opening in the side thereof next said track, a door or plate for closing said opening hinged to the box at one side thereof and adapted to be swung outward from the side of the box, mechanism between the door or plate and the box limiting the outward movement of the door or lIO plate and adapted to engage a mail-bag brought against it and operated to close the door or plate against the side of the box, a crane-post on the top of the box, a crane-arm hinged to the top thereof, a folding brace for supporting the crane-arm in an upright position, and mechanism operated by the door or plate on the front of the box adapted to engage said folding brace When the door or plate is closed and fold it together so as to drop the cranearm, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination in a mail-bag-crane mechanism of a crane-post, a crane-arm adjustably secured in a clamp mechanism hinged to the crane-post, a hinged folding brace adjustably secured to the crane-arm and to the crane-post means on the crane-arm for suspending amail-bag therefrom, and mechanism adapted to be actuated by a mail-bag delivered from a passing car operating to fold the cranearm brace, so as to drop the crane-arm, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of tWo Witnesses.

GEORGE R. MOORE. Witnesses:

RALPH A. STURGEON, H. M. STURGEON. 

